1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cassette mounting device arranged to move a cassette between a cassette mounting position and a position where information is to be recorded on or reproduced from a tape-shaped recording medium which is contained in the cassette.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cassette mounting device employed in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus of the kind using an 8 mm video cassette or the like has been arranged in general as described below with reference to FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c) through FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) of the accompanying drawings:
FIGS. 1(a), 1(b) and 1(c) and FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) show the conventional cassette mounting device in side views and plan views, respectively. Referring to these figures, a cassette 1 has reels 10 and 11 contained therein. A holder 102 which is generally made of aluminum is arranged to hold the cassette 1. A link 103 is arranged between each of two opposite sides of the holder 102 and a reel chassis 112 which is mounted on a main chassis 113 to interconnect them in such a way as to allow the holder 102 to be moved toward or away from the reel chassis 112.
As shown in FIG. 1(a), the cassette 1 is inserted in the direction of arrow A. After the cassette 1 is inserted, the holder 102 is pushed down toward the reel chassis 112 against a spring force of a spring 105. An opening member 114 which is mounted on the holder 102 then acts to open a lid provided on the cassette 1. The holder 102 is then locked to the reel chassis 112 by lock means which is not shown. The cassette 1 is then held in a predetermined position on the reel chassis 112 as shown in FIG. 1(b). Further, as shown in FIG. 1(c), the reel chassis 112 horizontally moves with respect to the main chassis 113. Under this condition, a tape-shaped recording medium 8 (hereinafter referred to as the tape) is pulled out from the reel 10 and wrapped around a drum 109 through loading members 115, 116 and 117 as shown in FIG. 2(b). With the tape 8 thus wrapped around the drum 109, information is recorded or reproduced on or from the tape 8.
In taking out the cassette 1, the above-stated actions are performed in reverse sequence. A tape unloading action is carried out at the same time when the reel chassis 112 is slid out. With the tape 8 unloaded, the reel 10 or 11 winds up and pulls the tape 8 to the inside of the cassette 1. Upon completion of the sliding out movement of the reel chassis 112, the lock means unlocks to allow the holder 102 to be moved upward by the force of the spring 105. The lid of the cassette 1 is closed concurrently with the upward movement of the holder 102 and then the cassette 1 can be taken out from the holder 102.
Referring to FIG. 2(a), a reinforcing member 132 is attached to the end part of the holder 102 to reinforce the rigidity of the latter. In this case, urging members 133 which are arranged to push the cassette 1 against the reel chassis 112 are secured directly to the right and left ends of the upper face of the holder 102 by caulking.
According to the arrangement of the conventional cassette mounting device described above, however, a reel system tends to malfunction at the time of unloading. In addition to that, the reels 10 and 11 might come to a stop due to a trouble while recording or reproduction is still in process to necessitate the cassette 1 to be taken out before the tape 8 has not been completely taken up into the cassette 1 as shown in FIG. 3. However, in such a case, as shown in FIG. 4, a projection 107 which is provided in the cassette mounting device of this kind for preventing the cassette 1 from being erroneously inserted and also for unlocking the lid 1a and a turning member 1b which is provided on the cassette 1 in a state of abutting on the holder 102 prevent the cassette 1 from being taken out with the lid 1a left in an open state. The cassette 1 then may be taken out by unlocking the lock means as the lid 1a of the cassette 1 closes when the holder 102 moves upward. In that case, however, the tape 8 in trouble would be damaged by being caught by the lid 1a. The conventional cassette mounting device thus has presented the problem that, in the event of occurrence of a trouble which causes the tape 8 to be not completely taken up into the cassette 1, it is hardly possible to take out the cassette 1 without damaging the tape 8 on which information is recorded.
Further, as shown in detail in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b) which show the holder 102 alone, the urging members 133 are secured by caulking to the holder 102 which is generally made of a material of a relatively low strength such as aluminum. It is not easy to adequately carry out the caulking work on the urging members 133 in securing them to the holder 102 which is in a box-like shape and is allowed to occupy only a narrow space. The workability of the device for assembly work is thus poor. The holder 102, therefore, tends to be deformed by caulking while the urging members 133 must be disposed precisely at a predetermined distance from a predetermined face of the holder 102. Therefore, it has been not easy to precisely position the urging members 133.